Stand  by  Me
by princessofd
Summary: I won't shed a tear, just as long as you stand by me.- War drabble series, updated every two days.  Team 7 centric, Eventual SasuSaku.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer-** I do not own Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto does._

**Stand By Me**

With a blood splattered sword, Uchiha Sasuke stalked though the battlefield. His spiky black hair whipping around his face, Eternal Mangekyou eyes fixed on the figure dead ahead of him, an arrogant smirk flickering across his blood stained lips.

He ignored the many bodies littering the ground around him, the lives of Allied Shinobi meant nothing to him; even if they were from Konoha, his past comrades and friends.

The figure simply stood still on the field and waited for his next foe to approach, his mask slightly cracked around his Rinnegan eye, his sharingan eye glowing mockingly from the other side.

This masked man needed to die.

And Sasuke was only one of many who had, or would, attempt to end him. Of course, Sasuke was also supposedly allied with this man, who had masqueraded as the most powerful Uchiha to have ever lived, so his attack on him may have surprised the many shinobi hiding in the tress shadowing the pitch; where one of the most famous battles of the Fourth War was about to play out.

The man with no name, however, was not surprised about the betrayal in the least, he had anticipated it even. Sasuke was known to betray, notorious for it even.

First Team 7 and Konoha, then Orochimaru, Itachi and Taka, now him.

As Sasuke silently came to stand opposite him, the mystery man snorted with distain.

Because in his eyes, this mere boy in front of him, who had been branded as an S-ranked international threat, was nothing more than weak cannon-fodder.

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><p>AN- Review please. Update every two days if possible, double update if I fail to post on Tuesday. Did I mention how happy reviews make me?

= P


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer- **_I do not own Naruto, the awesomeness that is Masashi Kishimoto does._

**Stand by Me**

**2**

With a flash of red and blue; they clashed.

They both moved so fast, little but a blur on the battlefield. To the Allied Ninja's watching the fight, it appeared as if they had simply ceased to exist. The only time they could be seen was when one of them landed a hit, or when the chirping of 1000 birds filled the air around them.

Sasuke knew he wasn't getting very far with his attacks. Out of his many strikes against the masked man, only about a third of them actually hit home. Half of the fake Madara's had broken through his defence.

He was in serious trouble. If even one more of his enemy's attacks struck him, he would-

No, he wouldn't even think about that. Too much was riding on this mans death.

With his head rolling in the dirt, the Uchiha clan would finally be avenged and the clans only living member could finally…

Well, what he would do was up to debate. He hadn't really thought past his revenge.

The masked man said very little during the fight. Only scoffing or sneering at Sasuke when his attacks missed.

And Sasuke had nothing to say to the man who had helped ruin his life and murder his family.

This man was not worthy of his words.

Narrowing his crimson eyes, Sasuke charged up a chidori. A chidori filled solely with hatred.

A hatred so strong; that when the last Uchiha landed a hit dead centre on that damned mask, it finally splintered the whole way down.

The fighting ceased and Sasuke starred in shock that his attack had actually broken the mask whilst the fake Madara looked up at him in distain.

All that could be seen of his face was the top left hand side where his Rinnegan was imbedded in his eye. It was severely creased, indicating that he was an old man.

The masked man vanished then, disappearing into whatever alternate world his sharingan had conjured up.

Sasuke stared at the spot where his opponent was standing moments before, before activating his amaterasu and, rather childishly, burning the tainted grass and teleporting away, a trail of black flames in his wake.

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><p>AN- I know this chapter was word vomit but I promise next chapter will have explanations and involve the other members of Team 7. With this stupid fake-Madara plot I'm totally struggling with what to call him. The masked man or fake Madara is getting boring to use now. Any suggestions? Review please, my people of Awesome Sauciness.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. **_

**Stand by Me**

**3**

Uzumaki Naruto was sitting around the Third Division's campfire when the news reached his ears.

Sasuke Uchiha had shattered the Masked Man's Mask.

And he wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to feel about it.

He had been the first one to crack Tobi's mask, with Killer Bee's help of course, but his wayward friend had done more damage him… Also, this meant Sasuke had turned on 'Madara'.

_Was he on their side now? _This was what the blond hoped was true.

But if he wasn't on their side… and he wasn't with Akatsuki… _What the hell was he doing?_

The news of Sasuke's most recent betrayal was spreading through the camp like wild fire and the reactions varied drastically. Many shinobi were relieved that such a power house like the youngest Uchiha was fighting against their enemy.

Because let's face it; the Allied Forces were loosing. Badly.

However, Naruto noticed a group of Jonin snorting at the recent developments. Saying things like _' That bastard Uchiha doesn't have a loyal bone in his body. I guarantee he'll be building up his own army to counter us and Akatsuki. Then we'll have no chance.' _

And the nine-tails jinchuriki snarled at them and started to say: " That's not true! Sasuke would never…!"

And his defiant voice would trail off because he wasn't sure he knew Sasuke anymore. His reluctant best friend from Team 7 had become almost unrecognisable to him.

And this scared Naruto more than anything else.

So when Kakashi, the head of the Third Division, nodded in his direction across the fire with an unreadable expression on his face: Naruto knew what he had to do.

Heart burning with adrenaline, hope and a slight tinge of doubt, he packed a small bag of belongings and restocked his weapons and set of to find the traitorous man he called a brother.

* * *

><p>Haruno Sakura didn't hear the news.<p>

No, she found it instead.

Lying broken, bloody and unconscious in the shadows of the trees, about 10 miles from Konoha, Sasuke Uchiha didn't even sense her presence approach him.

She couldn't tell who it was at first. The amount of blood covering his face prevented her from identifying him immediately. His shirt was gone and his hair was matted with red. He was dying; and Sakura didn't even realise who it was she had rushed to and started healing.

It wasn't until she had got his chakra up to a stable level did she recognise the man next to her.

His chakra was thick, sticky and dark. Oh so dark.

And Sakura could never forget that terrible chakra. The one that haunted her nightmares and invaded her thoughts frequently. Because this was the very essence of the man she had claimed to love, tried to kill and wanted desperately to forget.

But was unable to because of that tugging in her soul. The possessed butterflies in her stomach any time someone mentioned his name. She would never again deny her love for him, but she had sworn to let him go. Sakura Haruno refused to stay shattered because this man, this boy now dying in her lap, had broken her young, naïve heart. She was stronger than that.

Grabbing a damp cloth from her medical kit, she carefully wiped the blood from his face.

His injuries had been horrific. It was a wonder he was still in one piece to be honest.

Staring down at his face, Sakura wondered what had happened to him._ Had he been fighting Naruto? Kakashi, even? Were they alright? Did he kill them? Because he could do that, couldn't he? He had promised he would and then- _

All her thoughts stuttered to a standstill as Uchiha Sasuke reached a shaking hand out to grab her wrist, onyx eyes wide open, and whispered a single word that sent a shiver down the pinkettes' spine.

"_Sakura."_

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><p><em><strong>AN- Did I promise explanations? I did? Well I lied and I apologise sincerely for the confusion and lack of explanation so far. Just remember: 'Explanations come to those who wait.' Or something like that… Anyway, REVIEW, PLEASE REVIEW! WHAT YOU LIKE AND DON'T LIKE, WHAT YOU HAD FOR DINNER, I DON'T KNOW! JUST PLEASE REVIEW! I feel unloved… Though Alerters and Favouritors are Awesome Sauce and make me smile, like a whole lot.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Stand by Me**

**4**

A blur of orange sped through the trees; desperately searching for his ex-best friend.

It sounded so childish to call him his ex-best friend.

But that was what Uzumaki Naruto was to Uchiha Sasuke, who was the blond to deny that?

Because Sasuke claimed to have broken all bonds that connected him to the Leaf Village and maybe Naruto had finally accepted this.

That no, his rival, friend and brother was not ever coming home.

Then the Uchiha just _had _to turn on Akatsuki didn't he? Just to mess Naruto's head and heart up even more.

Sensing a familiar chakra, not the one he was looking for though, flare up in panic; the jinchuriki forced himself to put thoughts of Sasuke aside for a moment.

Altering his course, Naruto raced to the battleground he knew a certain Hyuuga to be fighting valiantly against an Edo Tensai'ed warrior who was miles out of her league.

* * *

><p>"<em>Sakura." <em>

Her name spoken from this mans mouth sent a flood of fear to crash though her senses.

He was awake. With nearly recovered chakra and healed wounds, whilst she had pretty much drained herself healing him.

He could kill her so easily it was almost humorous. So much for being the apprentice of the Hokage; it was as if all her training had equated to nothing when she faced him. She simply reverted back to her weak, twelve year old mentality.

She was useless.

* * *

><p>Sasuke's eyes widened when they realised who was sitting next to him, her face peering curiously down at his. He could sense the fear in her. She was terrified of him.<p>

And with good reason. He had tried to kill her after all. Numerous times.

He certainly hadn't expected to be found be her of all people. He had sent a summoning hawk out to Juugo and Suigetsu with his location; expecting them to come to his aid.

It was a wonder they were still loyal to him after what he did to Karin, but they didn't exactly have anywhere else to go did they?

The stupid pink haired girl had actually _healed _him. Sasuke snorted slightly in disbelief then spoke her name in recognition.

She looked horrified at the sound of her name on his lips.

Slowly sitting up, the Uchiha continued to stare at his old team mate. He was grateful, he supposed, that she had healed him. He knew his wounds were catastrophic and that he could have easily died without proper medical assistance.

But he was Sasuke Uchiha. He wasn't going to die from a couple of fatally damaging stab wounds.

At his movements, Sakura cautiously moved away from him. Sasuke smirked at her slightly in amusement.

"I'm not going to kill you, Sakura." He informed her in his usual monotone. " At least not yet."

He watched her closely for her reaction. He didn't expect her to slap him.

Which is exactly what she did.

Hard, right across his perfect face, causing his head to tilt back.

Staring at her blankly, Haruno Sakura got to her feet and glared at him. Her anger was evident in her thunderous expression.

But she didn't scare him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" She asked him furiously. Taken by surprise at her question, Sasuke looked at her questioningly. " How did you get those wounds?"

And then he worked out what had her so worried and he let out a dry chuckle.

"I wasn't fighting the Dobe, Sakura." He told her. "I was fighting Madara."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN- Is that how you spell Hyuuga? Because I'm not sure. On a completely irrelevant note: I went to see Breaking Dawn Part 1 today! It was better than I thought it would be. At least it stuck to the book…mostly. Anyway, please REVIEW! Seriously guys I really am getting slightly annoyed now. I can't improve or make the story more interesting if you don't tell me what I'm doing wrong. So please review. Make me smile. =**_D - _**Like this!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Stand by Me**

**5**

Hyuuga Hinata wasn't sure how she found herself in this situation. It shouldn't be _her _fighting this infamous ninja; it should be Neji or that Kumo kunoichi, Karui, fighting him, not her.

But Neji was currently incapacitated and Hinata was the only one still fighting.

It had been a massacre for the Second Division.

Hundreds of Zetsu's had attacked them simultaneously and without warning. They came from the ground, the tress and started replicating Allied Shinobi so they didn't know if they were fighting friend or foe.

With only ten members of the Second Division left, even with all the Zetsu defeated, they had no chance when a wave of Edo Tensei'd shinobi appeared.

And because of Neji taking a near fatal hit for her, Hinata was alone on the bloodied battlefield, her arm broken and useless and her breathing heavy.

With a shriek of a battle cry, she steadied her kunai and charged; knowing her survival was the chance any of the broken shinobi lying groaning and dying around her had of survival.

She was their only medic left after all.

* * *

><p>"What?" Sakura asked him numbly, mind reeling at this latest revelation. Propping himself completely upright against the tree he had been lying under, pain flashing across his face as he accidentally put pressure one of his many tightly wrapped wounds, he tilted his head slightly to look her in the eyes. "Are you deaf now? You heard what I said."<p>

Eyes narrowed in suspicion, the pink haired girl inched closer to him, bending down to stare at his face, trying to detect a lie in his words.

He sounded honest. But she could never trust him though, never again

"Why?"

Sasuke smirked at her, thin lips tilting up to form a sadistic expression on his beautiful face.

"Because my revenge can't be completed until that masked bastard is dead." He explained as if it was obvious. Sakura's face immediatly lost it's confusion.

"Of course. Vengeance. What else could it be?" She asked rhetorically. Her voice took on a decidedly steely tone as she said " You couldn't be doing the right thing for once, could you? Never think about your _friends _who are _dying _as you continue to pursue vengeance for a man who _the last thing _he'd ever want was to be avenged!"

And then Sakura realised that was not the most intelligent thing to say to your possibly insane, ruthless and criminal ex-team mate.

In a flash of furious sharingan red, he stood, injuries now irrelevant, in front of her, eyes spinning madly as he sucked her into the blood soaked world of Tsukuyomi.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I know this is a very short chapter (even by my standards) but as I am determined to update every two days as promised, this is all I could do. Blame the French exam I've got to study for… and Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. It was awesome, read it, seriously. Anyway, I swear that the Wednesday chapter will be **_**at least **_**1000 words… I HAVE A PLOT NOW! **

**So… REVIEW PLEASE! Make me smile. =D - Like this! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Stand by Me **

**6**

Sai did not particularly like Sasuke Uchiha.

Maybe this was because he had had a place in the hearts of Team 7 first.

Or maybe it was because he had broken something inside Sakura and Naruto that couldn't seem to be fixed.

Sai knew he was the Uchiha's replacement and could never be to the original members of the shattered team what that traitor had been; but he could try.

And he did try.

Even if it was only simple things like buying Naruto ramen when he was short of pocket, or when Sakura was upset over something.

Because unlike Sasuke, Sai actually _cared_.

_Though, _Sai thought. Slashing expertly away with his kunai as a hoard of Zetsu's barrelled into his divisions camp. _Maybe that's slightly unfair. The Traitor must have done something good to earn a place so deep in his team mates hearts. _

From the brief and unpleasant time he had met Sasuke at Orochimaru's lair; Sai had seen something in the Uchiha's cold eyes… Though he had kept it skilfully concealed, Sasuke was unable to hide his emotions completely from the ROOT ninja; who had been taught how to capture even the slightest, seemingly insignificant feelings showing on his opponents face.

What Sai had saw…what he was so sure he had saw… was something akin to longing.

Just a fleeting flicker of pain and loneliness in the depths of his cursed red orbs.

Of course, just because Sai believed Sasuke was still harbouring some feelings for his ex-friends and allies, did not mean that he thought he deserved the time, effort and love Konoha put into bringing him home.

Especially after that stint at the Kage Summit where he had killed the only person Sai had that was anything like a constant family figure in his life. Even if the ROOT ninja had disliked Danzo, he had been his superior, and Sai felt an obligation to deal with his killer.

And after trying to kill Sakura, Kakashi and Naruto at the same time?

He was irredeemable in Sai's eyes.

But the two people Sai held closest to him, the unpredictable blonde and the violent pinkette, would never be whole without Sasuke standing at their sides.

So, with the news that Sasuke had turned on Madara- which Sai wasn't exactly surprised by, wasn't the Uchiha always betraying someone?- Sai decided that once these measly Zetsu's had been defeated, he would set of in search of Naruto, who he _knew_ would be rushing to find his so called best friend, so that.

Just maybe.

Sai could help put his most precious people back together again.

* * *

><p>It was dark.<p>

So, so dark.

This was Sasuke's nightmare world, and Sakura didn't know how to escape the thick darkness that had consumed her.

Every now and then, something would touch her. Lightly tugging on her hair, brushing against her quivering body.

It was empty, in this blackened world. Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

She knew healing him had been stupid!

Besides, Sakura knew that he wouldn't be able to keep the illusion up for very long. He was still recovering from his wounds, and his chakra barely reached it's natural halfway point.

Though she also knew that five minuets for Sasuke: was 72 hours for her, whilst stuck in the Tsukuyomi.

Then she remembered. That weird power that had forcefully ejected Ino from her mind during the Chuunin exams.

What had Naruto dubbed it as when she told him about it? Inner Sakura?

If she could use that now, she might be able to break out of this genjutsu.

Though she supposed breaking out of a fairly basic Yamanaka jutsu was slightly different to freeing herself from one of the Uchiha's super genjutsu.

But it was worth a try. Sakura vehemently refused to let Sasuke walkover her. If he wanted to kill her, then he could fight her face to face, respect her as a fellow shinobi, not the snivelling wreck of a fangirl she was when they were lowly Genin.

No, Sakura was apprentice of Tsunade Senju. One of the most powerful Kunoichi in history. The only remaining Sanin and the Hokage of Konoha.

Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, she envisioned herself punching through a wall, breaking the illusion surrounding her.

With a gasp of surprise, she felt herself falling.

Falling deeper into the darkness of Sasuke's mind, panicking madly, she flailed her arms, trying to claw her way back up.

This must be her punishment, she concluded. For trying to escape.

Still falling, she 'pushed' the fabric of the genjutsu again. Putting all her force behind the attack.

She was surprised when she felt it tear.

Had she truly just broken out of one of the most powerful genjutsus known to ninja?

A smile of victory settled on Sakura's dainty lips.

A smile which promptly vanished when she realised that she hadn't escaped.

No, she had dug deeper into the genjutsu and finally found herself standing on a road coated with blood, bodies bearing the Uchiha crest decorating the pavements.

Falling to her knees in horror, Sakura realised what she had done.

She had broken into Sasuke's personal nightmare world. And now she was going to have to watch the darkest moments of the Uchiha heirs life.

With 69 hours remaining.

_**A/N- I promised 1000 words. I broke my promise. I had to end it here because skipping straight to Naruto would not work with the plot. So I apologise. On another note: I swear I spent at least five minuets staring at the colour page of Sasuke in this weeks chapter. I'm just pleased that Suigetsu and Juugo haven't been forgotten with all the 'Madara Madness' **_

_**So… review, give feedback, critique ect.. Please. Make me smile! XD - Like this! **_


	7. Chapter 7

**Stand by Me**

**7**

She had failed.

She always felt like she was failing.

When Naruto had been fighting Pein; she only made things worse, the man she loved had almost lost himself to the demon inside him, and all she could do was scream declarations of love which he had seemingly ignored anyway.

On the Itachi Uchiha mission, when they raced to find Sasuke, she failed.

Sure, it was a group failing, but she had desperately wanted to get the Uchiha to go back to Konoha.

Maybe then Naruto's heart might not be so fractured.

She had always wanted to be the band-aids that fixed the blonds heart…but she knew that Sasuke was the stitches.

The unravelled stitches that must be repaired.

Because stitches were more powerful than a flimsy plaster, right?

Now, Hinata had failed Neji, the rest of her division, the entire Shinobi Alliance; she couldn't beat this guy… and she had forgotten her Med nin training: Dodge and Evade.

She had charged straight in.

But most of all; she had failed herself.

"_Never go back on my word!" _

That was her nindo, her ninja way. One of the only things she shared with Naruto.

And she had gone back on her word, hadn't she?

She had lost hope and given up.

She was still fighting of course… but it didn't matter in the end; she was as good as dead anyway.

The ninja she was fighting used poisoned senbon.

Senbon that had pierced deeply into her left side.

She knew she had approximately one hour left to live.

She was a medic after all, she knew things like that.

* * *

><p>Sakura didn't know how much more of this she could take.<p>

After stumbling upon the body of a child, no older than three or four, lying freshly murdered in the embrace of it's equally slaughtered mother; she had vomited.

It was all in her mind. Or Sasuke's mind. But the concept was the same…it felt so realistic, the putrid smell of blood, the flickering street lights, the haunting full moon. It was a genjutsu far too powerful for any non-Uchiha to escape from. She doubted many Uchiha could even crack this nightmare world.

Wiping her mouth on the back of her shaking hand, she got up and slowly walked towards the centre of the Uchiha district, following the bloodshed until she reached the house she knew to be the old home of the clans head family.

She had to see it. See for herself the scene that had destroyed her team-mates psyche.

Maybe then she could understand what had made Sasuke the way he was today.

See what horrors the Village Hidden in the Leaves did to their own.

Stepping onto the houses porch, Sakura walked towards the door, and, taking a deep intake of air, slowly slid the large sliding doors open and cautiously walked inside.

* * *

><p>Sasuke wasn't quite sure what had gone wrong.<p>

He had planned on scaring Sakura in the Tsukuyomi. Not torture, exactly. He refused to listen to her talk to him in such a judgemental manner.

She didn't know _shit _of what he'd been through.

_That blond idiot must have told her the truth. _He decided in annoyance. It wasn't Naruto's story to tell.

Sakura didn't have to know the truth.

He didn't want her to know the truth.

Then she had done something to the Tsukuyomi. Made it malfunction.

It wasn't supposed to be _his _worst nightmares playing before her.

His own nightmares playing out, yet again, in front of his eyes.

He wasn't even in real time anymore, he had been completely captured in his own technique.

Sasuke snorted in distain.

That was a mistake the Dobe would make, not _him. _

It was Sakura's fault for messing with things way out of her league.

He was stuck in his eight year old body, kneeling in front of his executed parents, in his old house, staring pleadingly up at his elder brother.

No matter how many times he had been forced to witness his families elimination, his reaction remained the same.

So inside the mind of his eight year old self, Sasuke Uchiha mentally curled up into a tight ball and attempted to forget the world.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- ****I know this may be confusing, the mechanics of the genjutsu will be explained in full next chapter**_**. **__**Important: **__**Ok, I need to know if you guys would rather have 2-3 chapters a week reaching word counts of 1000-1500 a chapter or should I stick to these rapidly released shorter chapters? Tell me in a review or PM please! AND REVIEW MY PEOPLE! **Make me smile! = D- Like this!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Stand by Me**

**8**

It was with a snarl of pure anger that Naruto burst into the fallen Second Division's camp. He could hear Hinata's pained cries as her opponent landed hits as he raced through the trees. It infuriate him to hear her in pain.

For Hinata was one of his precious people.

The only living person to tell him she loved him. He hadn't forgotten about her valiant confession as she confronted Pein to protect him.

He just didn't know how to respond.

He didn't even know she like him; though it explained why she was always so nervous around him.

And after Pein's invasion, the war had started and he had to save Sasuke and there had been no time to talk to her.

And maybe he had been a little nervous himself.

He liked Hinata…But he still wasn't sure if he liked her like _that_.

But now, seeing Hinata bruised and bloodied at her enemy's mercy, he knew that he would do anything to protect her.

So without thinking, Naruto charged into battle; forgetting everything except protect the surprised girl fighting alongside him.

* * *

><p>The Uchiha mansion was so dark and cold. Save for the eerie light from the full moon, Sakura would have stumbled over the neat rack of shoes by the door.<p>

It seemed so normal. The Uchiha family had been an enigma-but they had a _shoe rack._ It was so mundane.

That was the moment when Sakura realised that this had once been an average home; with a kitchen, a living room and bathrooms.

It wasn't some mysterious relic but the home of her old team mate.

She took her shoes of as a sign of respect.

She had almost forgotten that this was all an illusion. That she wasn't really in the Compound and that the bodies weren't real in this time.

Tiptoeing down the hallway, Sakura heard something she really didn't want to hear again.

The distraught, bloodcurdling scream of Sasuke Uchiha.

It was on instinct that she started running towards the room in which the agonised yell had came from.

Bursting into the farthest room from the door, at the very end of the hallway, Sakura stopped and stared at the scene in front of her.

It was heart rendering, an eight year old Sasuke knelt on the floor facing his older brother, disbelief in his eyes and tears streaming down his face.

The bodies of the Uchiha patriarch and matriarch lay between the brothers, Itachi's sword still dripping with their blood.

She shouldn't be watching this, it was too personal a moment in Sasuke's life for her to intrude on.

But she couldn't leave; she was trapped here after all.

"For the next 48 hours," Itachi began. "You will watch our family die."

And Sakura couldn't stand it anymore.

Rushing over to the fallen child, she bundled him up in her arms. She wasn't quite sure why she could touch him; when neither he nor Itachi seemed to be able to see her.

She supposed she would just have to wait it out until the genjutsu ended.

67 hours remaining.

* * *

><p>He had to watch it <em>again. <em>

Because apparently being forced to witness his big brother ruthlessly murder his entire family _once _wasn't enough. Nor was twice or three times or four. Uchiha Sasuke honestly couldn't count the amount of times that he had been subjected to this torture.

And this time it was his own fault!

_I __must of done something truly atrocious in a past life to deserve this. _He thought, as he realised something else:

Sakura was in the room.

He could feel her gaze on him, even if he couldn't control his eight year old body.

As he felt himself sliding into Itachi's Tsukuyomi and he felt Sakura's arms wrapped protectively around him, he managed to gather the last of his will power to whisper:

"_Do something."_

And he sincerely hoped Sakura had heard him because he knew his remaining threads of sanity would most likely break if he had to endure this horror yet again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- ****Hey, so… Not my greatest chapter ever. But be nice, I have just faced my mothers birthday lunch and been force fed lukewarm salmon. I feel considerably queasy right now. And these infuriating Christmas songs in the background are really not helping my concentrate on writing. Moan over; please do **_**review**_**! Tell me what you liked, didn't like, what could be improved, grammatical errors ect… Make me smile! REVIEW!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Stand by Me**

**9**

With the reanimated ninja safely sealed, Naruto and Hinata worked quickly among the wounded.

Out of the thirty man division: only five people had survived.

Breathing heavily, Hinata sunk to the ground.

Neji was finally out of the danger zone and she had almost completely ran out of chakra.

30 minuets.

She had 30 minuets left to live.

She could feel the poison in her veins. It had spread like wildfire, unstoppable and unable to be contained. As she watched the man she loved try to bandage one of the survivors wounds, all she could think about was how much she didn't want to go.

Hinata Hyuuga did not want to die. So, she decided to ask the kind-hearted blond in front of her a favour.

"Naruto," She said weakly. The jinchuriki's head whipped around to face her. "What is it, Hinata?"

"Naruto," She repeated. "Could you… take me to… Sakura…Please?" Her voice faded.

His face clouded with concern.

"What's wrong? Are you injured?" He asked in a panic. Hinata smiled softly.

"Poisoned…" Was all she said before her eyes rolled back in their sockets and she slumped to the ground.

* * *

><p><em>What do I do?<em>

_What do I do?_

_What the hell am I supposed to do!_

Frenzied thoughts flew around Sakura's head as the eight year old Uchiha Sasuke fell into a seemingly comatose state.

He had asked her to _'Do something!' ._

It almost sounded as if… as if the _real _Sasuke, the present time Sasuke, was trapped inside his past self.

If that was the case then… She knew she had to do something fast.

Because Sasuke's mind was unstable enough as it was without the extra trauma.

Who could imagine what further damage this would do to his delicate psyche?

With a deep breath, Sakura called on her 'inner' once more.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I am so sorry it's late! But I was so sick yesterday that I couldn't even look at the computer screen before wanting to throw up. ( I ate dodgy cheese. Cheese that I knew was dodgy but still ate because I'm an idiot. ) And I'm sorry it's so short! I'm going to update tomorrow though with a larger chapter to make up for it. I seem to be apologising a lot recently. God, I suck. So, REVIEW! Because I still feel yucky and reviews are like medicine. Make me smile!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Stand by Me **

**10**

_Slash_

_Stab_

_Slash_

_Scream_

It was never ending!

The blood splattering against his clothes, Itachi's cruel laughter, his parent's bloodcurdling cries of pain.

_What the hell was taking Sakura so long?_

If she could pierce his original genjutsu and break into his own mind; then surely she could get them both out of this as well.

_46 hours to go._

* * *

><p>"HINATA!"<p>

Rushing towards the fallen girl, Naruto felt pure panic well up in his chest.

_Be okay, be okay, be okay, be okay!_

She had to be okay. He had gotten there in time to save her.

She was going to be fine.

Scooping her up in his arms, he rested the back of his hand against her pale forehead, brushing her purple bangs away; to check her temperature.

She was burning up.

And suddenly nothing else mattered. Not the injured shinobi, not Sasuke, not Madara.

Hinata could be dying. He had to find a medic. He had to find Sakura.

With determination set firmly on his face, Naruto held her tighter and took to the trees, Kyuubi mode already activated.

* * *

><p>Sai had finally finished off the Zetsu's.<p>

So now, with permission from his squad leader, some Jonin from Kiri, he took to the trees; determined to find his blond haired friend and offer him assistance.

He had heard Naruto had been temporarily placed on the third division which was controlled by Kakashi.

He was sure that Naruto wouldn't be there.

He would already be on Sasuke's trail.

So the ROOT ninja whipped out his paintbrush and sent some of his ink birds to scout the area.

He would find Naruto and mend his broken team.

* * *

><p>"I need you to help me." Sakura told her 'Inner' bluntly.<p>

The blurry copy of her shot her a sympathetic look.

"I'll help you." 'Inner' agreed. "But you're not going to like it."

At this point though, Sakura wasn't really sure if she cared whether or not she liked it. She was holding an eight year old Uchiha Sasuke in her arms. An eight year old Uchiha Sasuke who had a sixteen year old Sasuke's consciousness. And he was being tortured by Itachi.

She _already _didn't like it.

"Just tell me what I've got to do and I'll do it."

'Inner' sighed heavily.

"I can't break out of this. The best I could do was penetrate that bastards original Tsukuyomi. There is another way out but as I said; you're really not going to like it."

Sakura's eyes hardened. From all the experience she had had with her 'Inner', she had always been extremely loud and volatile. Now, however… she had an almost pitying expression in her eyes.

"Just tell me and I'll deal with it."

Taking a deep breath, 'Inner' nodded.

"To break out of Tsukuyomi; you have to kill the person who cast it."

Her next words drove knifes into Sakura's heart.

"You have to kill him, Sakura."

* * *

><p><strong>AN- Yo. So… that's the last update until after Christmas. I know I was going to post this yesterday; but the new chapter of Fairy Tail preoccupied me. It was seriously awesome. And depressing. Watch out for a JellalxErza one-shot soon, I couldn't resist. So I hope you all have a great Christmas and why don't you give me a present by REVIEWING! I'll even check your stories out and R&R them if they catch my interest. Equivalent exchange works well at Christmas. =D Review. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Stand by Me**

**11**

"What do you mean I've got to _kill _him! I can't kill him; _he's eight!_"

Her 'Inner' started to fade away.

"Just remember; he's sixteen and he wont die in real life. You know you have to do this! If you don't; he might be better of dead anyway."

As she finally disappeared; Sakura broke down.

'_I cant kill him! I tried before and that worked out _so _well.' _She thought bitterly.

'_**Do something!'**_

Sasuke's desperate words echoed around her head.

He needed her help. He'd actually asked for her to do something for him. Asked her sincerely; recognising and acknowledging that she had the ability to do something he couldn't.

'_He won't really die.' _

With a new found resolve, Sakura picked up a discarded kunai from the bloodstained floor and steadily raised it to the neck of the boy in her lap.

'_He's only a child!' _

Sakura realised that and that was why she had to do this.

Save him from the nightmares of the past.

* * *

><p>Naruto could sense Sakura's chakra flickering slightly at the very edge of his senses. She was about fifteen minuets away and…Someone was with her. But Naruto couldn't really tell who's chakra it was; it was so faint, like a whisper.<p>

But it was dark. It felt cold and very familiar.

It felt like Sasuke.

But why the hell would Sakura and Sasuke be together? He must have read the chakra signatures wrong.

Even sage mode wasn't fool proof.

Hinata writhed slightly in his arms, pain flashing across her delicate, feminine features. Her situation was getting worse and Naruto honestly wasn't sure if he was going to reach his pink haired team mate in time.

He had to, though. Because he wasn't prepared to lose Hinata. Ever.

Then suddenly Sakura's chakra fluctuated and the other chakra sputtered out completely.

And Naruto _really _hoped that wasn't Sasuke, because only the dead's chakra disappeared completely.

* * *

><p>Sasuke wasn't sure what to think of the cold blade he could feel resting against his neck.<p>

Surely Sakura's solution wasn't to _kill _him.

That would be absured.

She couldn't kill him. She had tried and failed before.

And if she killed him, the caster of this Tsukuyomi, God knows what would happen to him in the real world!

He wished he could _see _her. See anything rather than his family dying in a neverending loop.

It hurt his head to watch them die again.

It didn't effect his heart though; that had been shattered beyond repair years ago. The microscopic shards ground to dust under the pressure of the hatred of generations of Uchiha.

His mind wasn't completely broken yet.

The blade at his throat dug in deeper. He could feel his blood starting to bleed out.

And then she must have slashed his neck wide open and poured salt on his wounds because he had never felt pain so severe since the time when he first received his Curse Mark.

He could feel himself dying, gurgling madly.

But he wasn't moving.

It was happening, he could feel it but he couldn't _see _anything past the _slash, slash, stab _of Itachi's sword.

Sakura had just killed him, hadn't she?

'_I cant die at Sakura's hand!' _Was his final, frantic thoughts before he felt himself fade from that world for good.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- So I hope you all had a good Christmas! Mine was pretty awesome! I got a graphics tablet! Which I don't know how to use… But hopefully I'll upload some fanart to deviantart soon. Maybe I could do a comic version of this story? REVIEW please! I really want to reach the 20 mark before my next update! SO REVIEW AND I'LL LOVE YOU PLATONICALLY FOR LIFE! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Stand by Me **

**12**

Sakura looked down at her hands in horror.

Sasuke's blood coated them like gloves, painting them a glistening, sickening red. Her mind had gone blank; she couldn't believe she had actually _killed _him, even if it was only a genjutsu.

It had worked. She could feel the Tsukuyomi slipping away: the walls surrounding her disintegrating, Itachi's stationary form turning to dust, the young body of her ex-team mate flickering to nothingness in her arms.

Scrunching her eyes tightly shut; she felt herself start to fade, weightlessness engulfing her and then: nothing.

* * *

><p>A red-tailed hawk swooped low, searching for his Master's companions. The bird was aware of how grievous his summoners injuries were; his Master could easily die if he didn't get the message to the Red-Eyed Masters water-friend and quiet-friend.<p>

The hawk didn't want Sasuke to die: not many people had the power to control it's regal species, Sasuke was the first summoner in decades and the hawks wanted the opportunity to fight.

It's golden eyes narrowed in on a flash of orange.

It was the quiet-friend. His bright hair stood out clearly amongst the mass of green leaves of the forest. The blue hair of the man walking with him confirmed that this was the remains of Sasuke's team: Taka.

Soaring down gracefully to land on Juugo's shoulder; the hawk proceeded to convey it's message and poof out of existence when Juugo gave him a nod of confirmation, returning to it's Master to inform him help was on the way.

* * *

><p>Sai had recognised the two men walking through the forest. He identified them as Suigetsu Hozuki and Juugo; the two remaining members of Sasuke's cell, ranked s-class in his old ROOT bingo book.<p>

He couldn't find Naruto. His ink rats had caught a trace of him near the Second Divisions base but he didn't appear to be there now. Naruto was chasing Sasuke; and these guys knew where Sasuke was.

The traitor was apparently dying, if what the hawk summons had told them was true.

Sai couldn't find it in himself to feel to sympathetic.

He honestly thought that Sasuke deserved death after everything he'd done.

But Sakura and Naruto would probably never smile again if that bastard died… So Sai decided to trail them; hoping to reach Sasuke before he bled to death and try once again to convince the Uchiha to return to Konoha.

To Team Seven.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- I really don't know what was going through my head as I wrote this. The only thing that's keeping me going right now is coffee. I cant cope with only four hours of sleep. It makes me go gaga. REVIEW please. REVIEWING would be greatly appreciated. You might like to know next chapter is 1000 words of pure Sasuke/Sakura interaction! =D**


	13. Chapter 13

**Stand by Me **

**13**

The first thing Sakura noticed when she started to regain consciousness was that her hand was lying in a warm sticky liquid, which was most likely blood, and the uncomfortable weight on her stomach was Sasuke Uchiha's head.

His head which was connected to his neck. The same neck that she had completely slashed open in the Tsukuyomi which was now bleeding heavily.

But 'Inner' had told her that it wouldn't effect him in the real world!

So for the second time that day; Sakura proceeded to heal the bloodied boy in front of her; carefully placing her glowing green hands over the cut on his throat.

His breathing was heavy and his body spasmed violently every so often.

Luckily for her; he was still in the realms of the unconscious and whilst in the genjutsu, the wound had been a fatal strike, in the real world; it was still deadly but for a medic of Sakura's calibre, it would be a simple heal.

Well it would be simple if she had any chakra left.

She was running on empty, scrapping the bottoms of her reserves for the power to fix him. She realised how dangerous that was for her; she would certainly die if she emptied her chakra supply completely.

But she wasn't prepared to let Sasuke die. He wouldn't die: not on her watch.

With a deep breath of relief, she smiled tiredly in satisfaction as she watched the incision close up, a thin pink scar appearing in it's place.

He should be ok, even though his chakra reserves were pretty much as nonexistent as hers.

Brushing the blood-matted hair from his forehead; she starred at his sleeping face before smiling again and collapsing on the ground by his side as the toll on her mind, body and spirit finally hit her and sent her back into a deep state of unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>The second Sasuke woke up; his hands flew to his throat in a panic.<p>

_Sakura had killed him!_

His fingers traced the raised scar on his neck. So his wounds had transferred to this world too; that was interesting… This meant that Tsukuyomi could be used as a physical weapon as well as a mental one…. But that was besides the point at the moment.

The point was that Sakura had the nerve to actually _kill _him and then heal him.

She confused him.

Who heals an s-class criminal who had tried to kill them many times then kills said criminal just to heal them again?

Slowly moving to sit up, he found Sakura lying asleep next to him. Her pink hair a mess and…She was drooling.

With a sigh, Sasuke got onto his knees and proceeded to crawl over to her. He had no energy to walk and he had to leave.

He was far to vulnerable out in the open with no chakra. He had too many enemies to take that risk and the stupid girl who had saved his life was probably in just as much danger.

Though…He could just _leave _her there. Why would he care if she got killed by some Zetsu clone or Edo Tensai'ed zombie?

He knew he _should _care…But he didn't.

Then again… she could heal him after he took on Madara again. He knew she wouldn't let him die.

He wasn't sure how he was going to get them out of the forest though. He couldn't walk and she was unconscious.

Poking her in the stomach; Sasuke sighed at how stupid this was. Who was he kidding? He couldn't even get away by himself if he tried.

"Sakura." He said loudly, jabbing her in the side in an attempt to wake her up. "Sakura, get up."

The pink haired girl moaned in annoyance and rolled onto her side to get away from his offending finger.

Sighing again, Sasuke summoned a tiny piece of his severely diminished chakra and ran a mild electric current through her body.

Jolting up with a surprised yelp, Sakura turned to stare wide eyed at him, her mouth opening and closing.

_She looks kind of like a fish… _Sasuke thought absently as he returned her stare with a piercing glower.

"It wasn't a dream…" She murmured, eyes never leaving his as she reached into her weapons pouch to draw a kunai. "Why haven't you left?"

Expression cold and calculating, Sasuke answered:

"I'm still injured. I can't walk."

Sakura nodded carefully, face just as wary.

For a while, they just sat there, against a large oak tree, in absolute silence, never taking their eyes of each other for even a second.

"Why did you heal me?" Sasuke blurted, cracking the silence. Sakura blinked in surprise that he'd broken the tense silence that had enveloped them. Even he seemed slightly surprised he'd spoken but the question had been burning in his mind since they first met up.

"I wasn't just going to walk on by you was I? You're my friend. I wasn't going to let you die when I could save you." She replied, "Even though I probably should have."

"Hn."

And silence reigned again.

"Sasuke," Sakura started hesitantly. "About what happened in the-"

She was cut off by his sharp look and blazing red eyes.

"No." He said bluntly. Her eyebrows lowered in anger.

"But-"

"I said no! It never happened."

He sounded slightly panicked, Sakura thought. It was understandable, though, after what had happened to them.

Just as she was about to respond; a mass of orange and black burst through the trees, landing in front of them.

Uzumaki Naruto had arrived and he had an injured Hinata in his arms.

* * *

><p><strong>AN- Yeah I know it's late. Blame Batman, Morganville and an impromptu sleepover my soul twin dragged me to. From now on; chapters will be longer and released twice a week. This is primarily because I'm starting a regularly update Fairy Tail fic and am thinking about an Ulquihime mini-series. I 3 Bleach almost as much as Naruto. So review please! Hope you all had a great New Year. REVIEW!**


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